Aquatic farming in intermodal containers

ABSTRACT

The present invention generally relates to an aquatic farming system ( 200 ) comprising one or more stacked levels of an array of one or more aquatic farming modules ( 100 ). Each aquatic farming module ( 100 ) comprises an intermodal container ( 102 ) comprising a pair of opposing side walls ( 104 ) and a pair of opposing end entrances ( 106 ), and a housing structure ( 110 ) disposed in the intermodal container ( 102 ) and extending between the side walls ( 104 ) thereof. The aquatic farming module ( 100 ) further comprises a set of access doors ( 130 ) disposed at one or both end entrances ( 106 ) of the intermodal container ( 100 ), the access doors ( 130 ) actuatable planarly for selectively opening/closing the respective end entrances ( 106 ). Selective opening/closing of the end entrances ( 106 ) of the intermodal containers ( 102 ) in each stacked level facilitates user accessibility to the housing structures ( 110 ) in said stacked level for farming aquatic organisms.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The present application is the 371 National Stage Application ofInternational Patent Application Serial No. PCT/SG2019/050286, filed 3Jun. 2019, which claims the benefit of Singapore Patent Application No.10201804724U filed on 4 Jun. 2018, the entire disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to aquatic farming. Moreparticularly, the present invention describes various embodiments of anaquatic farming system having aquatic farming modules and intermodalcontainers in stacked levels for farming aquatic organisms.

BACKGROUND

Fisheries around the world are facing declining amounts of wild fishstocks, resulting in less fish being harvested from the oceans. Manyrivers and seas are being polluted with industrial and agriculturalwaste, and this has led to toxic algal blooms that have killed fishesbeing grown for food. Toxic or harmful algal blooms are organisms thatcan severely lower oxygen levels and release toxins into natural waters,and kill marine life. Rising sea temperatures further exacerbate thesituation, limiting aquaculture production or aquatic farming to meetever increasing human population. Urbanization is also taking awaytraditional farming land for industrialization and housing purposes.This has a significant negative impact on countries that have a smallland area and at the same time an increasing population. This means thataquatic farming must be conducted on a small land area and at increasingdensities to produce enough aquatic organisms for consumption.

Various methods have been used to grow fish in tanks on land. Many ofthese tanks are built by casting in heavy cement and require expensivestructural support. They are also purpose-built for specific locationsand cannot be easily relocated. As these tanks are permanently locatedon land, they require large amounts of water for daily changes tomaintain good water conditions for fish grown in the tanks.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,089,113 describes a food production system housed in oneor more intermodal shipping containers. Multiple containers can bestacked vertically, end-to-end, or side-to-side. Each container may beprovided with one or more access doors. However, the doors merely permituser accessibility to the respective container and hinder useraccessibility to other containers that are stacked together.

Therefore, in order to address or alleviate at least one of theaforementioned problems and/or disadvantages, there is a need to providean improved aquatic farming system.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is an aquaticfarming system comprising a set of aquatic farming modules arranged inone or more stacked levels, each stacked level comprising an array ofone or more aquatic farming modules. Each aquatic farming modulecomprises an intermodal container comprising a pair of opposing sidewalls and a pair of opposing end entrances, and a housing structuredisposed in the intermodal container and extending between the sidewalls thereof. The housing structure comprises a first compartment forstoring water and aquatic organisms, and a second compartment adjacentto the first compartment for installing a set of water treatmentmechanisms to treat the water in the first compartment. The aquaticfarming module further comprises a set of access doors disposed at oneor both end entrances of the intermodal container, the access doorsactuatable planarly for selectively opening/closing the respective endentrances. For each stacked level of aquatic farming modules, selectiveopening/closing of the end entrances of the intermodal containers insaid stacked level facilitates user accessibility to the housingstructures in said stacked level for farming the aquatic organisms.

In some embodiments, each access door comprises a roller shutter coupledto an upper portion of the respective end entrance, the roller shutteractuatable vertically at the respective end entrance. In one embodiment,each aquatic farming module may further comprise one or more externalaccess platforms integrally formed with or permanently attached to thehousing structure or intermodal container. Each external access platformmay be attached to the housing structure or intermodal container by ahinge component such that the external access platform is rotatableabout a lateral hinge axis. In another embodiment, each aquatic farmingmodule may further comprise one or more external access platformscoupleable to bottom portions of the end entrances of the intermodalcontainer.

In some embodiments, each housing structure further comprises multiplestructural elements forming the first and second compartments. Thestructural elements in each housing structure may comprise a firstlongitudinal panel adjacent to one side wall of the intermodal containerand bounding the first compartment, and a second longitudinal paneladjacent to the other side wall of the intermodal container and boundingthe second compartment. The structural elements in each housingstructure may further comprise a third longitudinal panel interposingthe first and second longitudinal panels to separate the first andsecond compartments.

In some embodiments, the structural elements in each housing structurefurther comprise one or more first partition panels dividing the firstcompartment into a plurality of first sub-compartments for storing aplurality of groups of aquatic organisms. The first partition panels maybe removably installed in the first compartment for selectively dividingthe first compartment into the first sub-compartments. The structuralelements in each housing structure may further comprise one or moresecond partition panels dividing the second compartment into a pluralityof second sub-compartments for installing the water treatmentmechanisms. Each second partition panel may comprise an opening forconnecting the water treatment mechanisms to one another.

In some embodiments, the structural elements in each housing structurecomprise a platform panel disposed on the second compartment tofacilitate user accessibility through the intermodal container. Thestructural elements in each housing structure may be welded to oneanother. The structural elements may comprise a polyethylene orpolypropylene material.

In some embodiments, each aquatic farming module further comprises aprotective layer lining interior surfaces of the intermodal container.The protective layer may comprise a corrosion-resistant material, suchas epoxy or polyurethane.

In some embodiments, the aquatic farming system further comprises a setof external systems connectable to the housing structures via the endentrances of the intermodal containers. The aquatic farming system mayfurther comprise a set of external modules arranged with the aquaticfarming modules for housing the external systems. The external systemsmay comprise a water recycling system and/or waste recycling system.

An advantage of the present invention is that multiple aquatic farmingmodules can be arranged together in arrays and stacked levels to reducespatial footprint. The modular configuration of the aquatic farmingsystem allows each aquatic farming module to be easily replaced and theaquatic farming system to be relocated. Multiple aquatic farming modulesprovides greater capacity to farm large amounts of aquatic organisms,thereby increasing food production for people.

An aquatic farming system according to the present invention is thusdisclosed herein. Various features, aspects, and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the embodiments of the present invention, by way ofnon-limiting examples only, along with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a perspective view of an aquatic farmingmodule, in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a perspective view of an interior of theaquatic farming module, in accordance with various embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an opposite perspective view of theinterior of the aquatic farming module, in accordance with variousembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of a top planar view of the interior of theaquatic farming module, in accordance with various embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of an end view of the interior of the aquaticfarming module, in accordance with various embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is an illustration of an opposite end view of the interior of theaquatic farming module, in accordance with various embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a perspective view of an aquatic farmingsystem, in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a lateral view of another aquatic farmingsystem, in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the present invention, depiction of a given element or considerationor use of a particular element number in a particular figure or areference thereto in corresponding descriptive material can encompassthe same, an equivalent, or an analogous element or element numberidentified in another figure or descriptive material associatedtherewith. The use of “/” in a figure or associated text is understoodto mean “and/or” unless otherwise indicated.

As used herein, the terms “comprising”, “including”, “having”, and thelike do not exclude the presence of other components/elements/featuresthan those listed in an embodiment. Recitation of certaincomponents/elements/features in mutually different embodiments does notindicate that a combination of these components/elements/features cannotbe used in an embodiment.

As used herein, the terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more thanone. The term “set” corresponds to or is defined as a non-empty finiteorganization of elements that mathematically exhibits a cardinality ofat least one (e.g. a set as defined herein can correspond to a unit,singlet, or single element set, or a multiple element set), inaccordance with known mathematical definitions. The recitation of aparticular numerical value or value range herein is understood toinclude or be a recitation of an approximate numerical value or valuerange.

For purposes of brevity and clarity, descriptions of embodiments of thepresent invention are directed to an aquatic farming system inaccordance with the drawings. While aspects of the present inventionwill be described in conjunction with the embodiments provided herein,it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the presentinvention to these embodiments. On the contrary, the present inventionis intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents to theembodiments described herein, which are included within the scope of thepresent invention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in thefollowing detailed description, specific details are set forth in orderto provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However,it will be recognized by an individual having ordinary skill in the art,i.e. a skilled person, that the present invention may be practicedwithout specific details, and/or with multiple details arising fromcombinations of aspects of particular embodiments. In a number ofinstances, known systems, methods, procedures, and components have notbeen described in detail so as to not unnecessarily obscure aspects ofthe embodiments of the present invention.

In various representative or exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention with reference to FIG. 1 , there is an aquatic farming moduleor unit 100 for farming aquatic organisms including aquatic plants andanimals. For example, the aquatic farming module 100 is configured forfarming aquatic animals such as fish, crustaceans, and other aquaticspecies.

The aquatic farming module 100 comprises an intermodal container 102.The intermodal container 102 is a large standardized shipping containerfor intermodal freight transport and may also be referred to as afreight container or ISO container. The intermodal container 102 may beof various standardized sizes, such as 20-foot or 40-foot. For example,a 20-foot intermodal container has an approximate length of 6 meters, anapproximate width of 2.4 meters, and an approximate height of 2.6meters. A 40-foot intermodal container is twice the length of the20-foot version but with the same width and height. Other standardizedsizes may be used depending on the interior space required for theaquatic farming module 100, such as 40-foot high-cube or 45-foothigh-cube.

The intermodal container 102 comprises a pair of opposing side walls 104extending longitudinally along the length of the intermodal container102. The intermodal container 102 further comprises a pair of opposingend entrances 106 extending laterally along the width of the intermodalcontainer 102. The end entrances 106 are selectively openable/closeableto facilitate user accessibility into the intermodal container 102.Users of the aquatic farming module 100 may comprise working personnel,e.g. operators and maintenance staff, and visitors from the generalpublic who wants to see how aquatic organisms are farmed from theaquatic farming module 100.

The intermodal container 102 is made of corrugated sheet metal with agalvanized iron or mild steel material. The intermodal container 102further comprises eight corner castings 108 positioned at the eightcorners of the intermodal container 102. The corner castings 108 providelifting and securing points for the intermodal container 102, such asfor transportation. Further, the corner castings 108 allow theintermodal container 102 to be connected to other intermodal containers102 side-by-side or end-to-end. Yet further, the corner castings 108 areconfigured to withstand stacking loads when multiple intermodalcontainers 102 are stacked vertically. The corner castings 108 may bemade from a steel material that is casted or forged.

In some embodiments, the aquatic farming module 100 further comprises aprotective layer lining interior surfaces of the intermodal container102. As the intermodal container 102 is made of galvanized iron or mildsteel material which is prone to corrosion/rust, the protective layerprotects the interior surfaces of the intermodal container 102 fromcorrosion/rusting and mitigates the risk of the aquatic organisms beingcontaminated by corrosive substances/rust. The aquatic farming module100 may be used in a seawater environment, such as on ships or barges,and seawater or saltwater tends to facilitate corrosion. The protectivelayer may comprise a corrosion-resistant or anti-corrosion material suchas epoxy or polyurethane.

The aquatic farming module 100 further comprises a housing structure 110disposed in the intermodal container 102 and extending between the sidewalls 104 of the intermodal container 102. In one embodiment, thehousing structure 110 abuts and adheres to the side walls 104. Inanother embodiment, the housing structure 110 partially abuts the sidewalls 104 without adhering thereto. In yet another embodiment, thehousing structure 110 is adjacent to, but without abutting/adhering, theside walls 104, such that small spaces are formed between the housingstructure 110 and the side walls 104. The small spaces allow for thermalexpansion and contraction of the intermodal container 102 and housingstructure 110 when the aquatic farming module 100 is subjected todifferent environmental conditions. Disposing the housing structure 110close to the side walls 104 maximizes the available space in the housingstructure 110 so that more aquatic organisms can be farmed.

Further with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , the housing structure 110comprises a first compartment 112 for storing water and aquaticorganisms. The housing structure 110 further comprises a secondcompartment 114 adjacent to the first compartment 112 for installing aset of water treatment mechanisms to treat the water in the firstcompartment 112. The housing structure 110 further comprises multiplestructural elements forming the first compartment 112 and secondcompartment 114. Alternatively, the first compartment 112 and secondcompartment 114 may be formed as an integrated structure or formedintegrally with the intermodal container 102. The structural elementscomprise a floor panel forming the base of the housing structure 110,including that of the first compartment 112 and second compartment 114.The floor panel distributes the weight or load of the first compartment112 and second compartment 114 over the floor/base of the intermodalcontainer 102. The housing structure 110 may be fastened or secured tothe floor/base of the intermodal container 102.

Further with reference to FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 , the structural elementsfurther comprise a first longitudinal panel 116 adjacent to one sidewall 104 of the intermodal container 102 and bounding the firstcompartment 112, and a second longitudinal panel 118 adjacent to theother side wall 104 of the intermodal container 102 and bounding thesecond compartment 114. In one embodiment, the first longitudinal panel116 and second longitudinal panel 118 are attached to the respectiveside walls 104, such as by an adhesive. In another embodiment, the firstlongitudinal panel 116 and second longitudinal panel 118 partially abutsthe respective side walls 104 without adhering thereto. In yet anotherembodiment, the first longitudinal panel 116 and second longitudinalpanel 118 are adjacent to, but without abutting, the respective sidewalls 104. Small spaces are thus formed between the side walls 104 andthe first longitudinal panel 116 and second longitudinal panel 118 toallow for thermal expansion and contraction in different environmentalconditions. Disposing the first longitudinal panel 116 and secondlongitudinal panel 118 adjacent close to the respective side walls 104maximizes the available space in the first compartment 112 and secondcompartment 114 so that more aquatic organisms can be farmed.

The structural elements further comprise a third longitudinal panel 120interposing the first longitudinal panel 116 and second longitudinalpanel 118 to separate the first compartment 112 and second compartment114. The structural elements further comprise some lateral panels 122bounding the first compartment 112. Particularly, the first compartment112 is bounded by the first longitudinal panel 116, third longitudinalpanel 120, and lateral panels 122. In one embodiment, the lateral panels122 also bound the second compartment 114 such that the secondcompartment 114 forms an L-shaped profile adjacent to the firstcompartment 112, as shown in FIG. 4 . One or more of the lateral panels122 may be reinforced, such as with structural bracings, as the lateralpanels 122 are not positioned adjacent to a structural component of theintermodal container 102, unlike the first longitudinal panel 116 andsecond longitudinal panel 118 which are positioned adjacent to the sidewalls 104. The braced lateral panels 122 improve the structuralintegrity and reduce bulging of the first compartment 112 and secondcompartment 114, especially when a large amount of water is stored inthe first compartment 112 which can exert stronger loads on the lateralpanels 122.

In some embodiments, the structural elements further comprise one ormore first partition panels dividing the first compartment 112 into aplurality of first sub-compartments for storing a plurality of groups ofaquatic organisms. For example, one first sub-compartment is configuredfor storing fishes and another first sub-compartment is configured forstoring crustaceans such as prawns and shrimps. In one embodiment, thefirst partition panels are permanently installed in the firstcompartment 112, such as by welding or adhesive. In another embodiment,the first partition panels are removably installed in the firstcompartment 112 for selectively dividing the first compartment 112 intothe first sub-compartments. Appropriate structural elements, such asgrooves or receptacles, may be provided to receive and install the firstpartition panels. The first partition panels may be installable atdifferent parts of the first compartment 112 to control the volumes ofthe first sub-compartments. For example, smaller aquatic organisms suchas shrimps can be stored in a smaller first sub-compartment, whilelarger aquatic organisms such as fishes can be stored in a larger firstsub-compartment.

In some embodiments, the structural elements further comprise one ormore second partition panels dividing the second compartment 114 into aplurality of second sub-compartments for installing the water treatmentmechanisms. Specifically, each second sub-compartment is configured forinstalling one or more of the water treatment mechanisms. In oneembodiment, the second partition panels are permanently installed in thesecond compartment 114, such as by welding or adhesive. In anotherembodiment, the second partition panels are removably installed in thesecond compartment 114 for selectively dividing the second compartment114 into the second sub-compartments. Appropriate structural elements,such as grooves or receptacles, may be provided to receive and installthe second partition panels. The second partition panels may beinstallable at different parts of the second compartment 114 to controlthe volumes of the second sub-compartments based on the sizes of thewater treatment mechanisms to be installed.

Each second partition panel optionally comprises an opening forconnecting the water treatment mechanisms to one another, such as byfluid communication channels through the openings for watercommunication across the water treatment mechanisms. The structuralelements may further comprise a platform panel 114A disposed on thesecond compartment 114 to facilitate user accessibility through theintermodal container 102. The platform panel 114A provides a workingplatform that allows users, e.g. working personnel, to walk on and goacross the intermodal container 102, such as to access the firstcompartment 112 for introducing/removing aquatic organisms andmonitoring the habitat conditions for the aquatic organisms. In oneembodiment, the platform panel 114A has an approximate length of 4.5meters and an approximate width of 0.8 meters, and is at an approximateheight of 0.7 meters, the dimensions corresponding to that of the secondcompartment 114. At this height, the platform panel 114A can provide theusers with sufficient height/ceiling space to comfortably walk acrossthe intermodal container 102, given that the height of the intermodalcontainer 102 is approximately 2.6 meters. The platform panel 114A maycomprise a grated structure made of a corrosion-resistant material, suchas a steel grating. Optionally, the platform panel 114A is lined acorrugated/textured/non-slip surface.

In some embodiments, the structural elements in the housing structure110 are permanently attached or fixed to one another, such as by weldingor adhesive. In some other embodiments, the structural elements areremovably attached or fastened to one another, such as by mechanicalfasteners or other known coupling mechanisms. Each structural element isappropriately dimensioned, such as panel thicknesses, depending on theloading conditions for the housing structure 110. The housing structure110, or more specifically the structural elements thereof, comprises amaterial that is safe for aquatic organisms and/or that iscorrosion-resistant as the aquatic farming module 100 may be used in aseawater environment. Some non-limiting examples of the aquatic-safematerial include polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylic, glass,polycarbonate, and fiberglass. Preferably, the aquatic-safe material ishigh-density polyethylene (HDPE).

As stated above, the first compartment 112 is configured for storingwater and aquatic organisms. The water may be freshwater or seawaterdepending on the species of aquatic organisms. The aquatic organisms maybe fishes and crustaceans, such as prawns and shrimps, that can be bredor farmed for food production. The first compartment 112 may also bereferred to as an aquaculture/aquafarming compartment or tank. The topportion of the first compartment 112 may be open or uncovered, allowingfor easier monitoring of the habitat conditions for the aquaticorganisms and the quality of water, as well as for easier monitoring andharvesting of the aquatic organisms. The top portion of the firstcompartment 112 may optionally be covered, such as by a netting, toprevent the aquatic organisms from jumping out of the water and/orcontrol illumination in the water. In one embodiment, the firstcompartment 112 has an approximate length of 4.5 meters, an approximatewidth of 1.5 meters, and of sufficient height to store an approximatewater height of 1 meter.

As stated above, the second compartment 114 is configured for installinga set of water treatment mechanisms to treat the water in the firstcompartment 112. In one embodiment, the second compartment 114 has anapproximate length of 4.5 meters, an approximate width of 0.8 meters,and an approximate height of 0.7 meters. A recirculating aquaculturesystem (RAS) is known to be used for treating water to maintain ahealthy environment for aquatic organisms, such as in home-basedaquaria. The RAS retains, treats, and reuses the water within thesystem. For example, the water in the RAS flows from a fish tank througha treatment process and is then returned to the tank. The RAS hascomponents, such as filtration mechanisms, that treat the water bydecomposing organic waste matter biologically and removing the wastematter mechanically. Usually, when the waste matter is removed from thewater, some of the water is also removed from the RAS, resulting in somewater loss. The RAS reduces ammonia toxicity in the water, maintainsclean water, and provides a suitable habitat for fishes.

In some embodiments, the water treatment mechanisms installed in thesecond compartment 114 constitute a RAS that treats the water accordingto a series of treatment processes to maintain desired water quality andprovide a suitable habitat/environment for the aquatic organisms.Although some water is loss through the treatment processes, the waterloss is usually minimal at around 2% of the amount in the RAS per day.This is achievable by using high surface area biological growth mediaand high efficiency nitrifying bacteria strains. The water treatmentmechanisms comprise a water monitoring and control device to monitor thewater quality and the habitat/environment conditions for the aquaticorganisms. The treatment processes include, but are not limited to,biological, mechanical, chemical, disinfection, aeration, andtemperature treatment processes.

In one embodiment as shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 4 , the water treatmentmechanisms further comprise a biological treatment mechanism 124 locatedin the portion of the second compartment 114 adjacent to the side wall104. The water treatment mechanisms further comprise other treatmentmechanisms for the mechanical, chemical, disinfection, aeration, andtemperature treatment processes. The other treatment mechanisms arecollectively referred to as non-biological treatment mechanisms 126 andare located in the portion of the second compartment adjacent to the endentrance 106. The water treatment mechanisms further comprise a waterpump 128 located between the biological treatment mechanism 124 and thenon-biological treatment mechanisms 126. The water pump 128 controlswater communication or flow from the biological treatment mechanism 124towards the non-biological treatment mechanisms 126, therebyrecirculating the water in the first compartment 112 in an anticlockwisedirection as shown by arrows in FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 . In another embodimenttwo or more parallel water pumps maybe used for fault tolerance orredundancy in case one of the water pumps fail or becomes faulty duringoperation. The water treatment mechanisms further comprise channels,pipes, and/or valves to control water communication across the watertreatment mechanisms. It will be appreciated that the water treatmentmechanisms may be positioned differently to rearrange the treatmentprocesses and/or to recirculate the water differently, such as in aclockwise direction instead.

In one embodiment, the water pump 128 pumps and discharges waste waterfrom the first compartment 112 to the biological treatment mechanism 124for performing the biological treatment process. The biologicaltreatment mechanism 124 comprises a screen mesh that filters and removeslarge particles in the waste water such as uneaten food and solid wastematter. The biological treatment mechanism 124 then treats the wastewater by converting toxic ammonia in the water, which is excreted byaquatic organisms such as fishes, into nitrate which is less toxic.Certain communities or strains of bacteria may be used in the biologicaltreatment mechanism 124 to nitrify the ammonia. Partial denitrificationoccurs in anoxic regions within the biological treatment mechanism 124where nitrate is further processed to nitrogen gas and released to theenvironment. The biological treatment mechanism 124 may be configured toperform the aeration treatment process to aerate the water with air tothereby remove dissolved carbon dioxide and to dissolve oxygen toreoxygenate the water. Fresh oxygen is required by the aquatic organismsto metabolize food and grow, and also by the bacteria communities in thebiological treatment mechanism 126. Optionally, if seawater is stored inand discharged from the first compartment 112, a foam fractionator isincluded in the biological treatment mechanism 124 to remove foamableorganic matter from the water.

The water pump 128 then pumps the biologically-treated water from thebiological treatment mechanism 124 to the non-biological treatmentmechanisms 126 for performing the other treatment processes. In themechanical treatment process, the non-biological treatment mechanisms126 comprise mechanical filters for removing particulate matter from thewater. The mechanical filters may remove particulate matter as small as25 microns. The mechanical filters may comprise sand filters, particlefilters, and/or drum filters. Optionally, in the chemical treatmentprocess, the non-biological treatment mechanisms 126 monitor and controlthe pH or acidity/alkalinity of the water. For example, nitrification ofthe ammonia in the biological treatment mechanism 124 reduces the pH ofthe water, making the water more acidic. Keeping the pH in a suitablerange, such as 5.0 to 9.0 for freshwater, maintains the health ofaquatic organisms as well as the biological treatment mechanism 124. Theacidity/alkalinity of the water may be controlled by adding sodiumhydroxide or hydrogen bicarbonate or other suitable buffers. In thedisinfection treatment process, the non-biological treatment mechanisms126 uses ultraviolet radiation and/or ozone treatment to reduce bacteriaand/or viruses in the biologically-treated, mechanically-treated, andoptionally chemically-treated water, thereby disinfecting the water.

The non-biological treatment mechanisms 126 may be configured to performanother aeration treatment process. Optionally, in the temperaturetreatment process, the non-biological treatment mechanisms 126 comprisea heating mechanism to control the temperature of the water. The heatingmechanism may comprise a submerged heater, heat pump, chiller, and/orheat exchanger. The temperature treatment process maintains an optimaltemperature for farming the aquatic organisms, such as to maximize fishproduction. It will be appreciated that the treatment processes may beperformed in different sequences or in tandem with one another. Thewater pump 128 returns the treated water to the first compartment 112 asshown in FIG. 6 . Optionally, the first compartment 112 is installedwith a number of in-tank air diffusers to sufficiently aerate the waterstored in the first compartment 112 for aquatic organisms to live andgrow.

The aquatic farming module 100 further comprises a set of access doors130 disposed at one or both end entrances 106 of the intermodalcontainer 102. The access doors 130 are actuatable planarly, i.e.parallel to the plane of the end entrances 106, for selectively openingand/or closing the respective end entrances 106. Selectiveopening/closing of the end entrances 106 of the intermodal container 102facilitates user accessibility to the housing structure 110 for farmingthe aquatic organisms. In one embodiment, the access doors 130 aremanually operated. In another embodiment, the access doors 130 areconnected to an access control system that automates actuation of theaccess doors 130, such as by motorized mechanisms. The access controlsystem may provide an override function that allows the access doors 130to be manually operated.

In one example, both access doors 130 are actuated to close the endentrances 106 and are optionally locked to prevent user accessibility tothe housing structure 110, such as to provide a controlledenvironment/habitat for the aquatic organisms and/or to preventunauthorized access into the intermodal container 102. In anotherexample, one or both access doors 130 are actuated to open the endentrances 106 to expose the housing structure 110 and aquatic organismsto an ambient environment. The one or both open end entrances 106 allowfor free movement into and out of the intermodal container 102, such asby users who wants to monitor the habitat conditions for the aquaticorganisms as well as the quality of water in the first compartment 112.

In one embodiment, one or both access doors 130 comprise a rollershutter coupled to an upper portion of the respective end entrance 106.The roller shutter is actuatable vertically downwards at the respectiveend entrance 106 parallel to the plane thereof to selectively open/closethe respective end entrance 106. The roller shutter may also be referredto as a roller door or sectional overhead door. In another embodiment,one or both access doors 130 comprise a folding door coupled to sideedges of the respective end entrance 106. The folding door is actuatablelaterally at the respective end entrance 106 parallel to the planethereof (leftwards and/or rightwards) to selectively open/close therespective end entrance 106. The folding door comprises multiple doorpanels that are slideable so that the door panels can be compactedtogether.

In some embodiments, the aquatic farming module 100 further comprisesone or more external access platforms 132 integrally formed with orpermanently attached to the housing structure 110 or the intermodalcontainer 102. The external access platforms 132 extend longitudinallyoutside of the end entrances 106 of the intermodal container 102. In oneembodiment, each external access platform 132 is attached to the housingstructure 110/intermodal container 102 by a hinge component such thatthe external access platform 132 is rotatable about a lateral hingeaxis.

In some embodiments, the aquatic farming module 100 further comprisesone or more external access platforms 132 coupleable to bottom portionsof the end entrances 106 of the intermodal container 102. In oneembodiment, the aquatic farming module 100 comprises a pair of externalaccess platforms 132 stored in the intermodal container 102. Theexternal access platforms 132 can be removably coupled to the respectivepairs of bottom corner castings 108 at the respective end entrances 106.Each external access platform 132 comprises appropriateattachments/coupling mechanisms for removably coupling to the respectivepair of bottom corner castings 108. The external access platforms 132may be made of a lightweight material with sufficient structuralintegrity, such that they can be easily coupled and can withstand theweight of users walking on the external access platforms 132 toenter/exit the intermodal container 102. In one embodiment, eachexternal access platform 132 has an approximate length of 1.2 meters andan approximate width of 2.4 meters. The external access platforms 132may be made of galvanized iron or mild steel material withcorrosion-resistant coating.

In some embodiments, the aquatic farming module 100 further comprisesone or more external access ladders coupleable to the top and bottomportions of the entrances 106 of the intermodal container 102, and/orcoupleable to the edges of the external access platforms 130. Theexternal access ladders and end entrances 106/external access platforms132 comprise appropriate attachments/coupling mechanisms for removablycoupling the external access ladders to the end entrances 106/externalaccess platforms 132. The external access ladders may be used by workingpersonnel to access the upper portion of the aquatic farming module 100.

In various representative or exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention with reference to FIG. 7 , there is an aquatic farming system200 comprising a set of aquatic farming modules or units 100 arranged inone or more stacked levels. Each stacked level comprises an array of oneor more aquatic farming modules 100. An array comprises one or more rowsand one or more columns of aquatic farming modules 100 to form a singlestacked level. Each row of aquatic farming modules 100 extends along thewidths thereof when the aquatic farming modules 100 are placedside-by-side. Each column of aquatic farming modules 100 extends alongthe lengths thereof when the aquatic farming modules 100 are placedend-to-end. Notably, a single stacked level with an array of one row andone column is equivalent to a single aquatic farming module 100. Theaquatic farming system 200 illustrated in FIG. 7 comprises eight aquaticfarming modules 100 arranged in two stacked levels, each stacked levelcomprising an array of one row and four columns of the aquatic farmingmodules 100. The aquatic farming modules 100 may be arranged by knowncontainerization methods used in intermodal freight transport.

Each aquatic farming module 100 in the aquatic farming system 200comprises access doors 130 for selectively opening/closing the endentrances 106 of the respective intermodal container 102. For eachstacked level of aquatic farming modules 100, selective opening/closingof the end entrances 106 of the intermodal containers 102 in saidstacked level facilitates user accessibility to the housing structures110 in said stacked level for farming the aquatic organisms.

In some embodiments as shown in FIG. 7 , the end entrances 106 of theintermodal containers 102 in both stacked levels are opened. As theintermodal containers 102 are placed side-by-side, the open endentrances 106 allow users, such as working personnel, to traverse acrossthe intermodal containers 102 in one stacked level, thereby allowing theusers to access the housing structures 110 in the same stacked level.Furthermore, if a stacked level has two or more rows of aquatic farmingmodules 100, the open end entrances 106 allow users to traverse throughthe intermodal containers 102 which are positioned end-to-end indifferent rows. In contrast, conventional intermodal containers havehinged doors, which when opened, hinder user accessibility to theadjacent container. Specifically, the hinged doors in the open stateobstruct users who want to access the adjacent container. Moreover, thehinged doors prevent the containers from being positioned end-to-end.Advantageously, the access doors 130 enable selectively opening/closingof the end entrances 106 and planar actuation of the access doors 130does not hinder or obstruct users from accessing the intermodalcontainers 102 in the same stacked level.

Optionally, the aquatic farming modules 100 comprise external accessplatforms 132. The external access platforms 132 improve useraccessibility to the housing structures 110 in a stacked level, as userscan walk on the external access platforms 132 and enter the intermodalcontainers 102 in the same stacked level.

In one embodiment, each aquatic farming module 100 comprises oneexternal access platform 132 integrally formed with or permanentlyattached to the housing structure 110 or the intermodal container 102 atone end entrance 106. Each aquatic farming module 100 thus hasplatformed and non-platformed end entrances 106. The aquatic farmingmodules 100 may be positioned end-to-end in two rows of the array suchthat the non-platformed end entrances 106 are facing each other. Thisminimizes the space between the aquatic farming modules 100 and allowsusers to easily walk across. Alternatively, the aquatic farming modules100 may be positioned end-to-end in two rows of the array such thatnon-platformed entrances 106 face platformed entrances 106, allowing formore space between the aquatic farming modules 100.

In one embodiment, each aquatic farming module 100 comprises twoexternal access platforms 132 integrally formed with or permanentlyattached to the housing structure 110 or the intermodal container 102 atboth end entrances 106. The aquatic farming modules 100 may bepositioned end-to-end in two rows of the array such that the platformedend entrances 106 are facing each other. Alternatively, the aquaticfarming modules 100 may be positioned in a single row of the array.

In one embodiment, each aquatic farming module 100 comprises one or moreexternal access platforms 132 attached to the housing structure110/intermodal container 102 by hinge components such that the externalaccess platforms 132 are rotatable about lateral hinge axes. Theexternal access platforms 132 may be released via the lateral hinge axesas desired to allow access into the intermodal container 102.

In one embodiment, each aquatic farming module 100 comprises one or moreexternal access platforms 132 coupleable to bottom portions of the endentrances 106 of the intermodal container 102. The external accessplatforms 132 are stored in the intermodal container 102 and coupled tothe end entrances 106 as desired to allow access into the intermodalcontainer 102.

In one embodiment as shown in FIG. 8 , the aquatic farming system 200comprises two aquatic farming modules 100—a lower aquatic farming module100 a and an upper aquatic farming module 100 b stacked on top. Thelower aquatic farming module 100 a and upper aquatic farming module 100b comprise a lower intermodal container 102 a and upper intermodalcontainer 102 b, respectively. The lower aquatic farming module 100 acomprises a lower external access platform 132 a coupled to the bottomportion of the lower intermodal container 102 a. The upper aquaticfarming module 100 b comprises an upper external access platform 132 bcoupled to the bottom portion of the upper intermodal container 102 b.Each of the lower and upper external access platforms 132 a and 132 bcomprises a coupling mechanism 134, such as removable locking pins, forcoupling to the lower and upper intermodal containers 102 a and 102 b,respectively. The aquatic farming system 200 additionally comprises aset of support braces 202 coupling the upper external access platform132 b to the lower intermodal container 102 a. The support braces 202may be positioned towards both side walls 104. The support braces 202comprise a coupling mechanism 204, such as removable locking pins, forcoupling to the vertical side beams of the lower intermodal container102 a. The support braces 202 support the upper external access platform132 b and reduces its cantilever effect. The lower external accessplatform 132 a is supported by the ground. The aquatic farming system200 additionally comprises a safety rail 206 coupled to an external edgeof the upper external access platform 132 b. The safety rail 206mitigates risk of a user falling from the upper external access platform132 b. The safety rail 206 may have a minimum height to comply withsafety regulations. For example, the safety rail 206 has an approximateheight of 1.1 meters. The external access platforms 132 a and 132 b,support braces 202, and safety rail 206 are removable, by decoupling therespective coupling mechanisms, and are stored in the intermodalcontainers 102 when the aquatic farming modules 100 are not in use, suchas during transportation of the aquatic farming modules 100.

More optionally, the aquatic farming modules 100 comprise externalaccess ladders coupleable to the edges of the external access platforms132. The external access ladders facilitate user accessibility betweenstacked levels. For example, users may use the external access laddersto go between the lower stacked level and upper stacked level. Theexternal access ladders, together with the access doors 130 and externalaccess platforms 132, advantageously facilitate user accessibility intothe intermodal containers 102 and to the housing structures 110 in allstacked levels for farming the aquatic organisms in all the aquaticfarming modules 100 of the aquatic farming system 200.

In some embodiments, the aquatic farming system 200 further comprises aset of external systems connectable to the housing structures 110 viathe end entrances 106 of the intermodal containers 102. The aquaticfarming system 200 may comprise a set of external modules or units forhousing the external systems. Each external module may comprise anintermodal container such that the external modules can be arrangedtogether with the aquatic farming modules 100 in the arrays and stackedlevels to form an integrated aquatic farming system 200. The externalsystems may comprise a water recycling system for supplying water to theaquatic farming modules 100, such as to replenish water loss from theRAS, and for removing waste water from the aquatic farming modules 100.The external systems may comprise a waste recycling system for recyclingorganic waste matter from the aquatic farming modules 100. The organicwaste matter may be recycled and repurposed into fertilizers. Theexternal systems may comprise a hydroponics system for growing andfarming plants, e.g. vegetables, for food production. Fertilizersrepurposed from the organic waste matter may be reused in thehydroponics system. Accordingly, the aquatic farming system 200 mayoperate as an integrated aquaponics and hydroponics food productionsystem.

As described in various embodiments herein, the aquatic farming system200 comprises a set of aquatic farming modules or units 100, each ofwhich is self-reliant and can function on its own to grow and farmaquatic organisms to produce food for consumption by people. The aquaticfarming system 100 may comprise a single or standalone aquatic farmingmodule 100. The aquatic farming system 100 may alternatively comprisemultiple aquatic farming modules 100 that can be arranged together inarrays and stacked levels, similar to containerizations in intermodalfreight transport.

Due to the modular configuration of the aquatic farming system 200, eachaquatic farming module 100 can be easily replaced, such as afterprolonged usage and/or wear and tear, especially if the intermodalcontainer 102 is severely corroded/rusted. Moreover, the aquatic farmingsystem 200 can be disassembled and reassembled, allowing it to berelocated elsewhere as desired. Each aquatic farming module 100comprises an intermodal container 102 which is of a standard size,allowing the aquatic farming module 100 to be transported using knownmeans of transporting ISO or shipping containers.

The aquatic farming system 200 with multiple aquatic farming modules 100provides greater capacity to grow, farm, and harvest large amounts ofaquatic organisms, thereby increasing food production for people. As theaquatic farming modules 100 can be vertically stacked, the aquaticfarming system 200 can be located on a small land area, improvingefficient use of available land areas. This is particularly advantageousto countries where available land areas are scarce. The aquatic farmingsystem 200 is thus suitable for use in urban cities or underutilizedurban spaces. Urban cities tend to have lower carbon footprint as thereis fewer industrial facilities, such as factories and power plants,which are commonly located further away from the populated cities. Usingthe aquatic farming system 200 in urban cities improves the freshness ofthe farmed aquatic organisms as they can be grown with minimalindustrial pollution. There is also more control over the aquaticfarming and the quantity/quality of aquatic organisms as compared totraditionally farming like in ponds and sea cages. The aquatic farmingsystem 200 can also be used on freight transport, such as ships andbarges, out at sea where there is even less pollution, further ensuringthe freshness and quality of the farmed aquatic organisms.

In the foregoing detailed description, embodiments of the presentinvention in relation to an aquatic farming system are described withreference to the provided figures. The description of the variousembodiments herein is not intended to call out or be limited only tospecific or particular representations of the present invention, butmerely to illustrate non-limiting examples of the present invention. Thepresent invention serves to address at least one of the mentionedproblems and issues associated with the prior art. Although only someembodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein, it will beapparent to a person having ordinary skill in the art in view of thisinvention that a variety of changes and/or modifications can be made tothe disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of thepresent invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention as well as thescope of the following claims is not limited to embodiments describedherein.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A containerized aquatic farming systemcomprising: a set of aquatic farming modules arranged in one or morestacked levels, each stacked level comprising an array of one or moreaquatic farming modules, each aquatic farming module comprising: anintermodal shipping container comprising a pair of opposing side wallsand a pair of opposing end entrances; a housing structure disposed inthe intermodal shipping container and extending between the side wallsthereof, the housing structure comprising: a first compartment forstoring water and aquatic organisms; a second compartment adjacent tothe first compartment for installing a set of water treatment mechanismsto treat the water in the first compartment; a set of access doorsdisposed at one or both end entrances of the intermodal shippingcontainer for user accessibility into the intermodal shipping container,the access doors actuatable planarly for selectively opening/closing therespective end entrances, and one or more external access platformsintegrally formed with or permanently attached to the housing structureor intermodal shipping container, wherein each external access platformis attached to the housing structure or intermodal shipping container bya hinge component such that the external access platform is rotatableabout a lateral hinge axis; wherein for each stacked level of aquaticfarming modules, selective opening/closing of the end entrances of theintermodal shipping containers in said stacked level facilitates useraccessibility to the housing structures in said stacked level forfarming the aquatic organisms.
 2. The containerized aquatic farmingsystem according to claim 1, each access door comprising a rollershutter coupled to an upper portion of the respective end entrance, theroller shutter actuatable vertically at the respective end entrance. 3.The containerized aquatic farming system according to claim 1, whereinthe one or more external access platforms are coupleable to bottomportions of the end entrances of the intermodal shipping container. 4.The containerized aquatic farming system according to claim 1, eachhousing structure further comprising multiple structural elementsforming the first and second compartments.
 5. The containerized aquaticfarming system according to claim 4, the structural elements in eachhousing structure comprising: a first longitudinal panel adjacent to oneside wall of the intermodal shipping container and bounding the firstcompartment; and a second longitudinal panel adjacent to the other sidewall of the intermodal shipping container and bounding the secondcompartment.
 6. The containerized aquatic farming system according toclaim 5, the structural elements in each housing structure furthercomprising a third longitudinal panel interposing the first and secondlongitudinal panels to separate the first and second compartments. 7.The containerized aquatic farming system according to claim 4, thestructural elements in each housing structure comprising one or morefirst partition panels dividing the first compartment into a pluralityof first sub-compartments for storing a plurality of groups of aquaticorganisms.
 8. The containerized aquatic farming system according toclaim 7, wherein the first partition panels are removably installed inthe first compartment for selectively dividing the first compartmentinto the first sub-compartments.
 9. The containerized aquatic farmingsystem according to claim 4, the structural elements in each housingstructure comprising one or more second partition panels dividing thesecond compartment into a plurality of second sub-compartments forinstalling the water treatment mechanisms.
 10. The containerized aquaticfarming system according to claim 9, each second partition panelcomprising an opening for connecting the water treatment mechanisms toone another.
 11. The containerized aquatic farming system according toclaim 4, the structural elements in each housing structure comprising aplatform panel disposed on the second compartment to facilitate useraccessibility through the intermodal shipping container.
 12. Thecontainerized aquatic farming system according to claim 4, wherein thestructural elements in each housing structure are welded to one another.13. The containerized aquatic farming system according to claim 4,wherein the structural elements in each housing structure comprise apolyethylene or polypropylene material.
 14. The containerized aquaticfarming system according to claim 1, each aquatic farming module furthercomprising a protective layer lining interior surfaces of the intermodalshipping container, the protective layer comprising acorrosion-resistant material.
 15. The containerized aquatic farmingsystem according to claim 14, wherein the corrosion-resistant materialis epoxy or polyurethane.
 16. The containerized aquatic farming systemaccording to claim 1, further comprising a set of external systemsconnectable to the housing structures via the end entrances of theintermodal shipping containers.
 17. The containerized aquatic farmingsystem according to claim 16, further comprising a set of externalmodules arranged with the aquatic farming modules for housing theexternal systems.
 18. The containerized aquatic farming system accordingto claim 16, wherein the external systems comprise a water recyclingsystem and/or waste recycling system.